Migrants’ Rights Activists Urge Swift Action on Visa Appointments.
Dhaka, Bangladesh — On Monday, migrants’ rights activists called on authorities to expedite visa appointments for those seeking to migrate to Italy. Many applicants have waited months without receiving appointments or updates on their visa applications.
The applicants, primarily looking for work in Italy, reported that they submitted their visa applications several months ago but have not received any responses from the embassy. Additionally, they stated that the embassy has not scheduled any appointments or returned their passports.
The event was organized by three migrant organizations: the Bangladesh Migration Development Forum, Italbangla Samannay Unnayan Parishad, and the Bangladesh Migration Development Association. It took place at the Dhaka Reporters Unity.
Activists highlighted the ongoing struggles faced by Italy visa aspirants over the past year. Shah Mohammad Tayefur Rahman, executive director of the Bangladesh Migration Development Association, revealed that there are approximately 110,000 visa applications pending at the embassy. He emphasized that without immediate action and additional staff at the Italian embassy, the backlog could take two to three more years to resolve.
Rahman noted that many applicants who submitted their visa requests six months ago have not received an appointment. “Visa aspirants are living in uncertainty,” he stated.
He further warned that if the appointment process does not resume by October 20, frustrated migrants may take to the streets in protest. Rahman also urged the government to pursue diplomatic measures to address the issue.
Md Mohiuddin Ahmed, one of the applicants, expressed his frustration, saying he has been waiting for an appointment for eight months. He has visited the VFS Global office—responsible for processing visas on behalf of the Italian embassy—at least seven times, but has yet to receive any satisfactory answers.
Notable attendees at the event included BMDF President Khairuzzaman Kamal, General Secretary Shamsun Nahar Aziz Nina, Joint General Secretary Joynal Abedin Joy, and members Mohammand Alai and Shah Abiur Rahman.
In a related demonstration on September 9, several hundred individuals protested in the Gulshan area of Dhaka, demanding the immediate return of their passports and visas from the Italian embassy.
On October 8, Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain announced that Italy had assured Bangladesh it would clear 20,000 pending visa applications for Bangladeshi nationals by December. Hossain shared this information with reporters after meeting with a delegation of Italian visa seekers at the foreign ministry.
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